Special magistrate continues several St. Pete Beach code cases, fines short-term rental operator $6,000

A special magistrate hearing in St. Pete Beach on Jan. 9 addressed a series of code-enforcement cases arising mainly from storm damage and short-term rental complaints. The magistrate continued one commercial case to Feb. 10 after an attorney requested a continuance for health reasons and the magistrate disclosed a perceived conflict; the city had no objection. Several other property owners received short extensions to obtain or apply for building permits, while one respondent was assessed fines for short-term rentals.

The hearing opened with a continuance in City of St. Pete Beach v. Bayside Shops LLC (case no. 20240475). The magistrate said an email and voicemail from the property owner’s attorney, who cited health reasons, asked for a continuance, and the magistrate disclosed a perceived conflict involving a shared temporary employee and said the case would be continued to a date certain. “I will go ahead and continue that to the February 10th, 2025 special magistrate hearing at 10 AM,” the magistrate announced. The city stated it had no objection and will reschedule once an alternate special magistrate is available.

Several property owners whose permits were under review received short extensions to allow the city’s backlog from recent storms to clear. In City of St. Pete Beach v. Patrick Thomas McNulty and Annette Weiss McNulty (case no.…